The world’s best casino cheat, Richard Marcus, reveals how to be and catch a casino cheat. The individual behind the iconic Savannah maneuver dedicated 25 years to the game without ever facing criminal charges. The expert, often cited in talks about top casinos like Bizzo Casino, says low-tech cheating is the most common. He wants joint training of floor staff and surveillance. It would help to identify harmful groups. He detailed how his team would take on floors from Las Vegas to Monaco.
Today, we have Richard Marcus with us. He is a casino table game protection consultant and the founder of the Global Protection and Table Games Conference.
My pleasure, Kelsey, thank you.
I want to delve right in. You do have a reputation. You are known as the most famous casino cheater in the world.
What qualities are necessary to be an expert casino cheat? Is it charm, skill, or technology?
Charm and skill are more important than technology. The tech is for high-tech cheaters, which most pros are not.
To be a successful casino cheat, you need three things. First, brains—intelligence. Second, balls—courage and a lack of fear. Third, a lack of greed and knowing when to stop. The last one is as important as the first two. That’s it in a nutshell.
You managed to do this for 25 years without ever being charged with a crime. That’s incredibly impressive. What’s the most significant amount you’ve ever won or lost?
Consider it a victory even though it involved cheating. Using various deceitful tactics, I earned between $130,000 and $150,000 in a single night. That was the best night ever, a New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas. New Year’s Eve is consistently the best night for casino cheaters. There was a high level of excitement, and everyone was in high spirits, so it was consistently the top choice.
We know you had a massive run throughout Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and Europe. Have you ever engaged in fraudulent activities at a casino located in Asia?
Did you ever look back and see how much money you made from the Savannah move and your earlier career?
How much did I keep? We usually operated with a team of four to five people. How much did I keep? I made enough money that I didn’t need to work as a casino consultant or run a gaming conference.
But a few million, I’d say, I managed to bank.
What kind of cheating is most common in casinos today?
RFID technology has changed a lot. It can now trace individual chips at individual tables. I’m sure they can, at least, cut some old-school operations in the advanced casinos. But do you think any style has been eliminated due to this advanced technology?
Psychology and the human element overcome everything: all technology.
What should these operators be looking for? Is it individual operators? Did you work in a group of three people?
Three, four, or five people, depending.
What was your favorite game in your prime? It should still be valid today, despite cheating and today’s rules.
I didn’t even look at it because I knew exactly what I was doing. It seemed more like an art than cheating.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Richard Marcus’s story shows casino cheating is more about being smart and brave than using high-tech tools. It’s just as crucial to know when to stop. Even with better security, humans can still cheat. Their psychology is a powerful tool. As Marcus went from a cheater to a consultant, he said that casinos struggle against clever, organized teams. His experience reminds us that, in casinos, deception is as complex as the games.